Automobile-signal.



T. 1-. QAFFNEY.

AUTQMDBHE SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED 001.31, 1917.

65 r i Patented Apr. 1,1919.

will now be fully set forth and described,

w on

THOMAS J. GAFFNEY, or ALBANY, new YORK.

AUTOMOBILE-SIGNAL.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known'that I, THOMAS J. GAFFNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albany, in the county of Albany, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile-Signals; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains'to make and use the same.

This invention relates to direction indicators for use by automobilists.

The object of this invention is to provide a practical device which may be used by' drivers of automobiles to indicate to following drivers, the intention with reference to changesof direction or speed which should be communicated for the guidance of the following drivers. More particularly, it is the object of this'invention-to provide an indicator blade which may be lifted by the driver from a suitable hook or other supportwhich is conveniently located and either projected from the side of-the car while held in the hand or else stuck upon the door or edge of the car body to indicate to following drivers the signaling drivers intentions. Following the usual-practice, drivers customarily project the arm from the side of the car to indicate a purpose, and in rainy weather, when signaling is particularly necessary, the drivers sleeves and arms are soaked with rain. This is particularly disagreeable to ladies in social dress or shopping costume, and may be wholly avoided by the use of the device of the present invention.

With the above objectsin view, and such others relating to the details of construction, as may hereinafter appear, my invention reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a por-, tion of a front compartment of a car body showing the use of my invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation,

Fig. 3 is another elevation showing a different position of the device, and

Fig. 4 is a vertical section therethrough. Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 represents an indicator body, which,

.while preferably formed of sheet metal, with equal adaptability, may be constructed of Specification of Letters Patent.

wood or other metal. The blade is cut into the form of an outstretched hand, which projects from a sleeve 2. The sleeve 2 provides a background against which a designating plate 3 may be positioned, the latter of a wire binding 4 which is crimped into the overturned top, bottom and rear edge of Patented Apr. 1, 19119. Application filed October 31, 191?. Serial No. 199,490. I

the portion 2. At the rear of the portion 2, midway between the top, and bottom edges, the wire binding 4 is turned outwardlyand twisted to provide a shank 5. In the twisting operation, however, the shank 5 is interrupted by the formation of upper and lower pairs of parallel clamping arms 6 which are spaced such a distance apart that they may be engaged over the top edge of the car body or the door to hold the indicator in outstretched horizontal relation,

a pair of oppositely projecting clips being thus provided 'on the shank 5. It may be necessary, for the protection of the car body, to cover the clamping arms with rubberor other coverings 7, though this is not an essential characteristic of the device. The shank 5, at its rear end, is continued in the looped hand grip 8, and the latter, in turn, may terminate in a loop 9 for engagement over .a suitable hook or other support.

I prefer to hinge, over the sleeve portion 2 the plate 3. which has indicated upon one side the word Left and upon the other side the word Right. I .secure the plate 3 to the portion 2 by cutting away the metal of the latter along one of its edges as at 4, so as to free the corresponding extent of the wirebinding. The exposed portion of the bindingprovides a'hinge pintle upon which one edge of the plate 3 may be pivoted, in such relation that it maybe thrown against one side or the other of the portion 2. The arrangement of the words is such that when the plate is swung against one side of the portion 2 the indicator will read Slow left. In this position, probably, the hinge portion of the plate 3 will be at the bottom, andan inexpensive article of manufacture, and,

requires no special mechanlsm for mounting or operatlon, since it 1s merely a device for so that the plate 3 may drop away from the portion 2 and maybe swung into position against the opposite side of the device upon the reversal of the latter,thereby combining the word Right with the Word Slow in indicating relation. Since the release of the a device from its locked Left position for turning into the Right position can be almost instantly efi'ected, whereas the operation of locking the device in its Left position cannot be so quickly efiected. It was stated above that the normal position of the device would probably be preferably considered as that in which'the plate 3 is locked in the Slow left indicating position.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that I have provided a practical device for use in automobiles for acquainting the following drivers withthe intentions of the signaling driver with a minimum of effort and inconvenience, especially in stormy weather. Furthermore the device is manual employment.

/Vhat I claim as my invention is 1. An indicating device for automobiles comprising a signal plate, a grip hand extending from one end of the signal plate whereby said plate may be manually wielded,

rename and clip portions carried by the handle and adapted to embrace the edge of an automobile body to detachably secure the device thereon. j

2. An automobile indicator comprising, a sheet metal signal plate, a Wire binding member for edge portions ofthe plate, a portion of said Wire member being bent to form a grip handle extending from one end of the plate, and said wire member being further bent to form clip arms engageable over the edge of an automobile body for detachably securing the device thereon.

3. An indicating device for automobiles, comprising in combination, a plate to be manually extended from the side of the car, said plate being shapedas a direction signal, a handle extending rearwardly from the .plate', means for engaging the device over the edge of an automobile body, and a second plate hinged to the firstplate to be swung from one side to the other, and bearing selective indicia upon its opposite sides for exposure when the device is extended from the side of a car.

ln'testimony whereof, I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS J. GAFFNEY. Witnesses:

BENJAMIN Axnnnoan, Josnrr-r O. GALLUP. 

